Eliot Cutler on Corporations

Examine corporate tax breaks; avoid clawbacks by better deal

Q: Will you support legislation that would allow the State to clawback tax breaks from companies that fail to meet job creation goals or for companies that move jobs out of state after accepting Maine tax breaks?

A: Many of those tax breaks were
enacted years ago for purposes that seemed important at the time and that perhaps we could then afford. But for the most part, they've been on autopilot; most have never been closely evaluated to see if they're still working, still needed, and still
accomplishing their goals (if they ever did). They should be identified in our budget as expenditures that we have chosen to make.

As for clawbacks, we need to make sound deals in the first place with companies
that have a good track record, pay good wages, and take advantage of Maine's competitive advantages. Sound deals will contain remedies against companies that fail to live up to their responsibilities.